The Parish Clerk

The Parish Clerk (1907)

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Title: The Parish Clerk (1907)
Author: Peter Hampson Ditchfield
Release Date: September 3, 2004 [EBook #13363]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Illustration]
THE PARISH CLERK
BY
P.H. DITCHFIELD
M.A., F.S.A.
WITH THIRTY-ONE ILLUSTRATIONS
_First Published in 1907_.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. OLD-TIME CHOIRS AND PARSONS 1
II. THE ANTIQUITY AND CONTINUITY OF THE OFFICE OF CLERK 16
III. THE MEDI?VAL CLERK 31
IV. HIS DUTIES OF READING AND SINGING 48
V. THE CLERK IN LITERATURE 63
VI. CLERKS TOO CLERICAL--SMUGGLING DAYS AND SMUGGLING WAYS 79
VII. THE CLERK IN EPITAPH 90
VIII. THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF PARISH CLERKS 104
IX. THE CLERKS OF LONDON: THEIR DUTIES AND PRIVILEGES 115
X. CLERKENWELL AND CLERKS' PLAYS 130
XI. THE CLERKS AND THE PARISH REGISTERS 140
XII. THE CLERK AS A POET 154
XIII. THE CLERK GIVING OUT NOTICES 169
XIV. SLEEPY CHURCH AND SLEEPY CLERKS 179
XV. THE CLERK IN ART 195
XVI. WOMEN AS PARISH CLERKS 201
XVII. SOME YORKSHIRE CLERKS 206
XVIII. AN OLD CHESHIRE CLERK AND SOME OTHER WORTHIES 225
XIX. THE CLERK AND THE LAW 245
XX. RECOLLECTIONS OF OLD CLERKS AND THEIR WAYS 255
XXI. CURIOUS STORIES 306
XXII. LONGEVITY AND HEREDITY--THE DEACON-CLERKS OF BARNSTAPLE 318
XXIII. CONCLUSION 333
INDEX 335

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
THE PARISH CLERK. By Thomas Gainsborough, R.A. Frontispiece From the original in the National Gallery PAGE
THE VILLAGE CHOIR. By Thomas Webster 8 From the original in the Victoria and Albert Museum THE MEDI?VAL CLERK: THE CLERK IN PROCESSION 18 From old engravings THE CLERK BEARING HOLY WATER AND ASPERGING THE COOK, AND OTHERS 28 From old engravings THE OLD CHURCH-HOUSES AT HURST AND UFFINGTON, BERKS 42 _By permission of Messrs. G.J. Palmer and Sons_
THE CLERK AND PRIEST VISITING THE SICK AND ADMINISTERING THE LAST SACRAMENT 46 _By permission of the S.P.C.K._
OLD BECKENHAM CHURCH. By David Cox 60 From the drawing at the Tate Gallery OLD SCARLETT 98 From "_The Book of Days_" _By permission of Messrs. W. and R. Chambers, Ltd_.
ENTRANCE TO THE HALL OF THE COMPANY OF PARISH CLERKS. 104
THE MASTER'S CHAIR AT THE PARISH CLERKS' HALL 106
PORTRAIT OF WILLIAM ROPER, SON-IN-LAW AND BIOGRAPHER OF SIR THOMAS MORE, BENEFACTOR OF THE CLERKS' COMPANY 110
THE GRANT OF ARMS TO THE COMPANY OF PARISH CLERKS 111
STAINED GLASS WINDOW AT THE HALL OF THE PARISH CLERKS' COMPANY, SHOWING PORTRAITS OF JOHN CLARKE AND STEPHEN PENCKHURST 112
A PAGE OF THE BEDE ROLL OF THE PARISH CLERKS' COMPANY. 114
THE ORGAN AT THE PARISH CLERKS' HALL 121
A PAGE OF AN EARLY BILL OF MORTALITY PRESERVED AT THE HALL OF THE PARISH CLERKS' COMPANY 122
INTERIOR OF THE HALL OF THE PARISH CLERKS' COMPANY 126
PORTRAIT OF JOHN CLARKE, PARISH CLERK OF THE CHURCH OF ST. MICHAEL, CORNHILL 128
OLD MAP OF CLERKENWELL 130
A MYSTERY PLAY AT CHESTER 132 _From a print after a painting by T. Uwins_
THE DESCENT INTO HELL 136 _From William Hone's "Ancient Mysteries_"
THE SLEEPING CONGREGATION. By W. Hogarth 182 From an engraving at the British Museum THE CLERK ATTENDING THE PRIEST AT HOLY BAPTISM 196 _By permission of the S.P.C.K._
THE DUTIES OF A CLERK AT A DEATH AND FUNERAL 198 _By permission of the S.P.C.K._
THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD. By W. P. Frith 199 _From a photograph by Messrs. W.A. Mansell and Co_.
PORTRAIT OF RICHARD HUST, THE RESTORER OF THE CLERKS' ALMSHOUSES 200
THE CHURCH OF ST. MARGARET, WESTMINSTER 210 _After an engraving from a photograph by Messrs. W.A. Mansell and Co_.
WILLIAM HINTON, A WILTSHIRE WORTHY. Drawn by the Rev. Julian Charles Young 239 _By permission of Messrs. Macmillan and Co_.
SUNDAY MORNING. By John Absolon 270 _From a photograph by Messrs. W.A. Mansell and Co_.
THE PARISH CLERK OF QUEDGELEY 280 By permission of Miss Isabel Barnett JAMES CARNE, PARISH CLERK OF ST. COLUMB MINOR, CORNWALL, THE OLDEST LIVING CLERK 320 _From a photograph by Mr. R.P. Griffith, Newquay_

PREFACE
The race of parish clerks is gradually becoming extinct. Before the recollection of their quaint ways, their curious manners and customs, has quite passed away, it has been thought advisable to collect all that can be gathered together concerning them. Much light has in recent years been thrown upon the history of the office. The learned notes appended to Dr. Wickham Legg's edition of _The Parish Clerk's Book_, published by the Henry Bradshaw Society, Dr. Atchley's Parish Clerk and his Right to Read the Liturgical Epistle (Alcuin Club Tracts), and other works, give much information with regard to the antiquity of the office, and to the duties of the clerk of medi?val times; and from these books I have derived much information. By the kindness of many friends and of many correspondents who